Dying Brother
by roo17
Summary: SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 573! Ace takes a hit for Luffy, and it may end up cause his life
1. Chapter 1: The Age of Whitebeard

Dying Brother

**Summary: SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 573!! Ace fights 'Red Dog'. In the process, he takes a hit for Luffy, and could die.**

**Warning: SPOILERS! CHAPTER 573!**

**Rating: T for blood and small cursing.**

**Pairings: None.**

**XXX**

**If you truly love someone, you'll give up your own life to save them.**

**XXX**

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Ace didn't know how this marine could talk so much trash about his father, Whitebeard. He even had the _nerve_ to call him a _failure_. Of coarse, that's why Ace skidded to a stop, instead of running to freedom with his brother, Luffy. Ace was already in much pain, but he didn't care at the moment. The marines words echoed in his mind. "Failure?" Ace slowly turned around to face Red Dog, his face full of anger. "Take back...what you just said!!" Ace could hear his crew members yell to him.

"Hey, forget it, Ace! Don't stop!"

"Ace!"

"That bastard actually treated Pops like a fool..." Ace growled.

"Ace!!" Luffy yelled. He didn't want his brother to stop, not when they were so close to escaping. But Luffy understood why he had stopped, to protect his 'fathers' honor. The man had taken Ace in when no one else did, and made him his son! If it was Shanks, Luffy would have done the same thing.

"Stopped by your father in blood, Roger, and couldn't become a king even after his death! Whitebeard is a failure forever. Which part of it is wrong?" Red Dog asked, his shoulders still made of lava. "Called Pops by a bunch of scums...Acting so warm like a family roaming the seas..."

"Shut up!"

"Roaming around decades without becoming a king or anything! In the end, he got hurt by his idiotic son which got cheated by some cheap talk! And he is giving his life to protect this bunch of people! Ain't that the emptiest life ever?" Ace clenched his jaws tightly.

"Shut up!!" He yelled back.

"Don't get provoked by his talk, Ace! Get back here!" One crew member called, but Ace ignore him completely. Ace's hands burst into flames, his eyes narrowed on the marine in front of him.

"Pops gave us a place we belong to! You people will never understand Pops greatness!!"

"Humans that doesn't walk on the right path got not living value! The world got no place for you pirates! Whitebeard is a failure going to his death!! This suits a general of a bunch of scums!"

"Whitebeard is the one that opened this era of pirates!!" Ace yelled. "Don't insult our savior!!" Ace raised his fist, rushing towards the marine. "The name of this era...is called "Whitebeard"!!!"

"Ace, stop!" But it was too late, Ace and Red Dog had connected fists. The second they touched fists, Ace grabbed his hand in pain. "Ace!"

"Ace actually got burned?!" Ace let out a yell of pain. Red Dog just stared down at the boy.

"Just because we are both logia and you got careless? You are just 'fire' while I am 'lava', which burns even 'fire'! Our powers are in a relationship of superiority!!" Ace stayed on the ground, his burned hand burning with pain. Luffy tried to run to his brothers side, but collapsed to his knees too.

"Hey Luffy! You're at your limit!" Yelled Jimbei. Luffy was about to force himself back to his feet when he noticed something on the ground.

"Ah! Ace's vivre card." Luffy went to go pick up the piece of paper...

"Pirate king Gol D. Roger, Revolutionary Dragon!! Their sons actually became brothers, how terrifying!! Just your blood alone has been shaped into a huge sin!! Even if let someone else get away, I will never let the two of you go!!" Red Dog's hand burst into lava. "Take a good look..." He rushed over to where Luffy was, his hand ready to strike the exaughisted boy. Ace watched in horror as the marine got closer and closer to his brother.

"Ah- Wait! LUFFY!" Suddenly, Ace's pain vanished; he felt no burning sensation in his hand or in his ribs, neck and arms. His attention was on his brother who was on the ground defenseless. Luffy looked up in shock. He had nowhere to go, noway to escape...

Luffy just waited for his body to catch aflame from the lava. He'd never felt like this before, so defenseless. He watched as the fist of lava came closer and closer. Luffy leaned back, hoping it would help him dodge the attack somehow. Time slowed down when he saw the fist just two feet away from him. Then something happened he didn't expect at all...

Ace jumped in front of him to take the hit.

Luffy stared in pure _horror_ as he saw the fist of lava go right through his older brothers stomach. He didn't understand at first, the events that were playing out right before his eyes. A few seconds later, it clicked. "Eh?" Luffy's eyes widened even more, the sight of his brother taking the hit almost didn't look real. It was like a nightmare. It seemed time stopped, like the whole world just stopped turning. A deadly silence came over the battlefield. Ace let out cough, blood coming out of his mouth and nose. Marco and the crew stared with disbelieving eyes on the side.

Luffy didn't care to look at Ace's vivre card, which was now almost nothing but ash...

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**Waaaaaaa!! *goes and cries in corner***

**Oda-Sensei! Why?! Yes, we love to write stories about Ace taking a hit for Luffy, but not this kinda hit! Waaaa! Ace better not die Oda! Or I swear on Ace I'll hijack a plane to japan and strangle you myself!!**

**Kitsune!! What do we do??? Ace!!! NOOOO!!! *cries some more***

**OKAY BUT WAIT DONT X OUT OF THE STORY YET!! THERE WILL BE ONE MORE CHAPTER OF THIS STORY! (of coarse, its gonna be based on chapter 574.) SO PLEASE HIT THE STORY ALERT IF YOU LIKED IT! AND IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN HIT THE REVIEW BUTTON TOO! THANK YOU!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Death of Portgas D Ace

Luffy stared at his brother, who just stood there with a fist of lave through his stomach. The whole battlefield grew quiet for a second, before finally yelling out in shock. "He got Ace!!" Marco and Jimbei stared with horror from the side. Garp couldn't believe his eyes. How could he let something like this happen to his grandson? Whitebeard stared at Ace, his face tense. Even Buggy stared on in horror...

Pirates tried firing their guns at Akainu, but nothing worked. Ace stood there, Luffy unable to see his face, for Ace's hair covered it. "STOP!!" Yelled Luffy as he saw Akainu draw back another fist, ready to finish off Ace.

"I will allow no more of this!" Ace stopped the fist of lava with his his own hand, not caring if he was burnt or not. As Mr. 3 was being pulled to safety, Marco picked him up; his face full of rage.

"Just get these handcuffs off! NOW!!" Mr.3 did as told. Meanwhile, Akainu watched as Jimbei grabbed his burnt hand in pain.

"I suggest you put an end to your attempts to buy time, Jimbei. As a former shichibukai, you should be all too familiar with the power I wield..."

"If by tearing this body apart, I can delay you in the slightest, then I am content! I never intended to place value on my own life from the outset!" Jimbei roared back. On the other side of the battle field, Garp started to make his way towards his grandsons, only to find his face smashed into the ground by Sengoku.

"What do you mean to do, Garp?!"

"You'd better...keep me held down here tight, Sengoku! Because if you don't...you can be damned sure...I'm going to murder...that Sakazuki!!"

"You fool!" Sengoku hissed.

"It would seem that a little punishment for this traitor is in order!" Yelled Akainu, ready to fight with Jimbei.

"Jimbei, get down! Someone ordered from behind him. He did what he was told. Akainu was soon met with a slice to the shoulder and a kick to the chest.

"Commander Vista!! Commander Marco!!" Akainu growled in frustration.

"Ahh, this is getting irritating! Haki users now?" Vista panted, as did Marco.

"For a moment's neglect, I feel boundless regret!

"Can you not see it is too late for Fire Fist?" Asked Akainu, still healing from the attacks.

"How could we let this happen?!" Marco asked, his eyes never leaving Akainu...

---

Ace stood there, it was all he could do at the moment. Finally, his legs gave out. He landed in Luffy's grasp.

"Ace!" Crew members cried his name as they could only watch the scene before them. Ace panted, his body felt tremendous pain. But he ignored it. All he could feel was Luffy's tight grip holding him.

"I'm sorry.....Luffy....." Luffy put his hand on Ace's back, feeling a warm liquid stick to his hand. As he raised his hand and saw it covered with a crimson color, he knew Ace was in serious trouble.

"Ace! We've gotta hurry and treat you-"

"I'm sorry I couldn't let you save me properly..." Ace panted, giving the smallest smile as he spoke. "Forgive me!!"

"What are you talking about?! Don't say stupid things like that!! Somebody deal with his wounds!! Somebody save Ace!!" A doctor quickly started to run over, but Ace's voice stopped him.

"It's no good!!... I can tell when my own end has come! He's burned up my insides... I'm not coming back from this..... so, Luffy. Listen up!" Luffy's mind blanked for a second.

"....W-What are you talking about? Ace...are you going to die...? No! ...You promised!! You told me, didn't you, Ace?! You said you wouldn't die!"

"Yeah...you know...if it weren't for the Sabo thing... and having a little brother like you to look out for...I would never have....even....wanted to live..." Luffy's eyes widened as Ace closed his eyes, his mind running memories through his head.

_"If Gold Roger'd had a kid? Then oughtta be executed!"_

"Nobody else wanted me to, after all...so it's only natural...!"

_"Oh, I've got a good one! How about sticking one needle in his body...for every person in the world with a grudge against Roger!"_

_"No, he should be burned at the stake! That way the whole world...could watch and laugh as he went to his death! They'd all be saying the same thing, you know? 'Serves you right!' Gyahahahaha!"_

_"I know what his last words will be as well! 'I'm sorry for being born, piece of trash that I am!'"_

_"Ah, well, not like he really exists..."_

_"Ace! You've been causing trouble in the town!"_

_"Shut up! If I was strong, I would've killed the lot of them!"_

...Oh yeah...if you ever...happen to run across Dadan...could you tell him goodbye from me..? It's weird...now that I'm about to die... I even feel like I miss that idiot..." Ace took in several more deep breaths. "I have just... one regret... That I won't be able to see... your dream come to pass..." Luffy froze. He couldn't believe this was happening. This had to be a nightmare, right? "But I know you. You'll pull it off for sure!! You're my brother after all...! Just like we promised back then... I have no regrets...about how I lived my life!" Luffy found his voice as he was brought back to reality.

"No! You're lying!!" Ace panted more.

"No, it's true! It looks like what I really wanted in the end...wasn't fame or renown at all... It was an answer to the question of whether I should have been born... My voice is getting too quiet.. Luffy, I want you to listen to what I say now... and tell it the guys afterwards..." Luffy just nodded. It was all he could do. "Old man!! All you guys! And...Luffy..."

_"Get out here! I'm here to take the head of Whitebeard!"_

Whitebeard let a few drops of tears fall from his eyes.

"Even though I've been good for nothing my whole life... Even though I carry the blood of a demon within me!!

_"And we're gonna save you no matter what!! Don't you dare give up!!"_

You guys still lived me!! Thanks you so much!!" Tears fell Ace's eyes and onto Luffy's shoulders. Ace took in one last breath, turning his frown into a nice smile...

Then he fell from Luffy's shoulder.

He landed on the ground in front of Luffy, his body unmoving. Luffy stared down in silence, not knowing what just happened. He stared at Ace for a few seconds, not noticing the vivre card burning right beside him.

"Ace....?"

_"Gramps...do you think..."_

Ace's vivre card burnt to nothing in the thin air.

_"...I should really have been born...?"_

When Luffy looked down to his brothers face, he saw a beautiful smile upon his older brother. He looked so peaceful...almost as if he had just fallen asleep...

Realization hit Luffy, suddenly knowing his brother had died. Then only thing he could do was stare up at the sky in pure horror and hurt.

_"What, did you think I was dead?"_

_"I...!!"_

_"What're you crying for?! Don't act like people are dead when they're not, dummy" I'm not gonna die, no matter what! That's a promise! Like hell I could die and leave my weak little brother all on his own!"_

Luffy's eyes blanked out, he was still staring at the sky; his mouth open as if he was ready to scream... Garp cried a few silent tears of his own as he watched his oldest grandson die in the arms of his younger one...

_"If it's a boy...'Ace'....Gol D. Ace... the name of our child..."_

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**I have no comment...**


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